The Use of
Gold &
Colours in
Initial
Letters &
Simple
Illumination

Coloured grounds are, as a rule, more or less evenly
covered with some form of
decoration in thin white or
matt gold lines, or in “solid”
patterns in various colours (see
pp. 168, 178). A simple and
pretty diaper pattern may be
made by diagonal lines of matt
gold, cutting up the colour into
small “lozenges,” each alternate
lozenge having a fleur-de-lis or
little cross, or other simple
ornament (fig. 119).

A bolder design, in a broad
white or coloured line, may
be, as it were, woven through counterfeited slits in

Fig. 120.

Simple Diaper
ВаскотилУш
ShdrGold on
COLOUK.

Fig. 119.

the letter (fig. 120). This helps to preserve the
158

general flatness of the letter, background, and The Use of
ornament, and gives additional interest. Gold &

The mimic slits are made by black lines drawn on Colours in
the burnished gold of the letter. Where the stem Initial
of the ornament comes over the gold, the size is cut Letters Sc
away with a pen-knife ; the part hollowed out is Simple
painted with white to cover any blemishes, and then Illumination
painted with the stem colour, and outlined.

A plain or pale stem may have a faint or
brown outline, and be “shaded” at the sides (with
greys, browns, or yellows) to give an effect of
solidity ; a stem that is painted in strong colour {e.g.
red or blue) may have a central white line painted
upon it.

Note that where the initials have backgrounds,
the line-finishings are commonly made with back¬
grounds to match, though their treatment is naturally
much simpler (see Plates XV, XVII).

CHAPTER XI

A THEORY OF ILLUMINATION

Illumination—“Barbaric, or Colour-Work, Illumina¬
tion”—“Filigree, or Pen-Work, Illumination”—

“Natural, or Limner’s, Illumination.”

ILLUMINATION

It is convenient to give a wide meaning to the word A Theory of
when we speak of an ''''illuminated manuscript,” for Illumination
the scribe works with a very free hand, and when
he wishes to decorate his pages he can write the

159